NATO campaign branch using other modules

[Alan8325]

The Brits module did not use any content from the Marines module because it should not be required that customers buy Marines in order to play the Brits campaign, however I was wondering if it would be possible to include a branch in the NATO campaign that uses another module.

This way it wouldn't be required that customers own other modules to play the NATO campaign but those who do could play a branch that, for example, encounters T-90s or links up with Brits. I do not know how the game currently handles scenarios that use content from a module that one does not have, as I have both modules, but perhaps a branching mission in a campaign that leads to a module mission could not be "winnable" by someone without the module, thus leading to the non-module path.

[MeatEtr]

The Brits module did not use any content from the Marines module because it should not be required that customers buy Marines in order to play the Brits campaign, however I was wondering if it would be possible to include a branch in the NATO campaign that uses another module.

This way it wouldn't be required that customers own other modules to play the NATO campaign but those who do could play a branch that, for example, encounters T-90s or links up with Brits. I do not know how the game currently handles scenarios that use content from a module that one does not have, as I have both modules, but perhaps a branching mission in a campaign that leads to a module mission could not be "winnable" by someone without the module, thus leading to the non-module path.

I'm all for that. A bit of a reward or bonus for those that bought all three modules.

[gibsonm]

The Brits module did not use any content from the Marines module because it should not be required that customers buy Marines in order to play the Brits campaign, however I was wondering if it would be possible to include a branch in the NATO campaign that uses another module.

This way it wouldn't be required that customers own other modules to play the NATO campaign but those who do could play a branch that, for example, encounters T-90s or links up with Brits. I do not know how the game currently handles scenarios that use content from a module that one does not have, as I have both modules, but perhaps a branching mission in a campaign that leads to a module mission could not be "winnable" by someone without the module, thus leading to the non-module path.

Well given that there are already three campaigns in the NATO module - one per nation (Steve mentioned this a while ago), I think you are just escalating the degree of difficulty and complexity (and hence delaying release) in designing a campaign(s) that has/have branches too.

If it were to be included then you'd find people expending a heap of effort building such branches and then those branches not being available to people without the other modules.

I think its better that that effort be expended within the module where we know that it will be used (and therefore justify the effort).

Quite apart from the dictum that each campaign is to be based on that module only.

[stoex]

A further question is wether what Alan8325 postulates is even possible regarding how the game handles data...I don't know, but my assumption would be that if any part of a campaign requires a certain module, the campaign as a whole probably requires that module to even be playable at all. I f that is the case, and a change would have to be made to the game engine or the way campaigns are coded, then it's certainly not going to happen.

I think we may just have to wait for user-made campaigns to get this kind of multi-nation linked action. What WOULD be possible in the initial release, of course, would be a campaign where two or all three of the forces in the NATO module link up. This would be fun for sure, and a challenge all of its own, but I understand the interest in having individual campaigns for each of the three NATO forces (to satisfy the local markets and players), and I personally would hate to have to wait for the module just because an additional campaign with mixed forces gets put in at the end. Eventually, user-made content will become available anyway to cover all possible bases, and I'd rather be able to play with the module already while I wait for that .

Cheers!

[phil stanbridge]

I didn't realise the NATO module would have 3 separate campaigns! I was expecting just the one with joint forces. That's excellent and no wonder it is taking a while.

[MeatEtr]

Well, three campaigns in the NATO module is news to me as well. I'd be willing to bet Alan is unaware of this also.

[Webwing]

It would be nice to have a campaign including everything, from US, Marines, UK and all 3 NATO countries. Obviously this would allow us to include all the new Red units also.

However, like Mark pointed out, this would delay release quite a bit.

Steve has mentioned though that there will be some surprises for the Red side.

We are working on TO&E and campaigns now. Hopefully we´ll be able to post more news as the work progresses.

[stoex]

Webwing, I agree...such a campaign would offer awesome possibilites and potential for great missions as well as a very deep storyline. Whether there is anything like this in the NATO release or whether we will have to wait for someone to do it later on....I am really looking forward to playing something like this.

Would be the pinnacle of CM:SF gaming if done well, I think.

[Alan8325]

Well, three campaigns in the NATO module is news to me as well. I'd be willing to bet Alan is unaware of this also.

Yeah, I was unaware that there will be three campaigns as well. As gibsonm said, it's probably not worth Battlefront's time to create content that only a fraction of their customers could play (those with all modules), as opposed to spending the time on more campaign missions and scenarios that everyone buying NATO could play.

No matter though, I'm sure the included campaigns will be great and there will be great user-made campaigns that use content from multiple modules.

Steve has mentioned though that there will be some surprises for the Red side.

I heard about this too, and I also remember a mention that while conventional forces in CMSF are highly constrained by reality, leaving not much room for more additions, Uncon formations in particular are much more open to the imagination.

I'd personally like to see a better resupply ability and suicide vests. They are realistic and would make the storming of buildings occupied by uncons a whole lot more nail-biting.

[Paper Tiger]

however I was wondering if it would be possible to include a branch in the NATO campaign that uses another module.

If you did this, then you would require that other module to play the campaign. The branch doesn't 'kick in' anything new into the campaign when it's activated. It's all there when the campaign is compiled and so if there are units from the Marines module in one branch, they're in the full campaign. A real shame as the very best stuff the Syrian have to field (theoretically as I don't think they have many of those T-90s yet) is in that module. And I LOVE the Syrian Airborne formation. I would very much like to do a campaign with them as the core units. But alas, no time...